How to Design a Home Office Guest Room | Home Guides

Designing your home office to do double duty as a guest room makes sense. Creating a functional floor plan and choosing accommodating furniture pieces, however, may be a challenge. Browse through home magazines to find an inspirational photo you’d like to use as a guide for decorating your room. The costs to furnish your home office and guest room can add up quickly. Set a realistic budget to help you narrow your decorating options.

Floor Plan

Determining the available floor space for your home office and guest room helps you narrow your furniture options. Stretch a metal tape measure from one wall to the opposite wall to determine the width and length of the room. Sketch the measurements on a sheet of graph paper, using one graph block to equal 12 inches. Measure the windows, closets, doorways and built-ins. Insert those items into your room sketch. In addition, measure the location of each electrical outlet and wall switch, and pencil those into the sketch. Your room sketch provides a realistic layout of the available floor space you have for furnishings.

Furniture Arrangement

Use an inspirational decorating photo from a design magazine to help you create a furniture arrangement for your home office and guest room. Acquire dimensions for actual furniture pieces you want to include in your floor plan. Sketch the furniture to scale on the graph paper, using one graph block to equal 12 inches, and cut out each paper piece of furniture. Interior decorating standards recommend allowing at least two feet around the exposed perimeter of a bed, three feet between a bed and closet, and two feet, six inches in front of furniture that has drawers. Avoid blocking doorways and windows. Arrange the paper furniture in the sketch.

Bed Options

The available floor space helps you determine the type of guest bed your room can comfortably accommodate. A Murphy bed that folds vertically against a wall is an ideal option for a small room. An airbed provides another bedding alternative for a room with limited floor space. Airbeds decompress to store compactly in a closet until your guest arrives. A sofa sleeper supplies dual functions as a comfy spot to relax in your home office, as well as a pull-out bed for overnight guests. Keep in mind that sofa sleepers take up significant floor space, especially when the bed is fully extended. A daybed, standard bed or click-clack sofa are additional guest-bed options.

Desk and Storage

Choose a desk that enhances your decorating style, accommodates the available floor space, and suits your personal preferences and workload. Armoire and secretary desks provide compact desk and storage options. Armoire desks look like a standard armoire until you open the doors to reveal a computer workstation. Secretary desks often feature a fold-down desktop, storage cubbyholes, drawers and small cabinets. An L-shape desk provides two desktop work areas. A small student or writing desk are ideal for small rooms with limited floor space. Filing cabinets, vertical shelving units, built-in cabinets and closet organizers provide storage and organizational tools for your home-office and guest-room needs.